Morning Glory Research Articles

Ipomoea purpurea (tall morning glory)

Ipomoea purpurea (tall morning glory)

Ipomoea triloba (three-lobe morning glory)

Ipomoea triloba (three-lobe morning glory)

Illuminating the lineage-specific diversification of resin glycoside acylsugars in the morning glory (Convolvulaceae) family using computational metabolomics.

Acylsugars are a class of plant defense compounds produced across many distantly related families. Members of the horticulturally important morning glory (Convolvulaceae) family produce a diverse subclass of acylsugars called resin glycosides (RGs), which comprise oligosaccharide cores, hydroxyacyl chain(s), and decorating aliphatic and aromatic acyl chains. While many RG structures are characterized, the extent of structural diversity of this class in different genera and species is not known. In this study, we asked whether there has been lineage-specific diversification of RG structures in different Convolvulaceae species that may suggest diversification of the underlying biosynthetic pathways. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) was performed from root and leaf extracts of 26 species sampled in a phylogeny-guided manner. LC–MS/MS revealed thousands of peaks with signature RG fragmentation patterns with one species producing over 300 signals, mirroring the diversity in Solanaceae-type acylsugars. A novel RG from Dichondra argentea was characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, supporting previous observations of RGs with open hydroxyacyl chains instead of closed macrolactone ring structures. Substantial lineage-specific differentiation in utilization of sugars, hydroxyacyl chains, and decorating acyl chains was discovered, especially among Ipomoea and Convolvulus—the two largest genera in Convolvulaceae. Adopting a computational, knowledge-based strategy, we further developed a high-recall workflow that successfully explained ~72% of the MS/MS fragments, predicted the structural components of 11/13 previously characterized RGs, and partially annotated ~45% of the RGs. Overall, this study improves our understanding of phytochemical diversity and lays a foundation for characterizing the evolutionary mechanisms underlying RG diversification.

A Glimpse of Newspaper Fiction from <i>Union Press</i> (<i>Nanyang Zonghui Xinbao</i>): 1924 to 1928

What we can expect for fiction from the Union Press in this period 1924-1928 under study was my primary concern when I carried out my research of fiction from the Union Press from 1917 to 1923. Contrary to my expectation, new political developments that took place in Chinese Mainland coupled with economic decline in Malaya affected the production of Singapore Chinese fiction writing; language change in the Sinophonic world plus the pressures from local newspaper competitors aggravated the sharp situation. In referring to tales of ghosts and foxes, surprisingly in this period under study, Liaozhai and Pu Songling were vividly associated. The Liaozhai imitation carried on with some innovations in scope, especially the fresh appearance of the plot of the black fox and its fur. Other rare demons such as morning glory and banana demons are included. It appears that the intention in publishing these stories changed from asserting belief to drawing attention to these parapsychological phenomena. As they are mythological and religious in nature, it legitimatizes the author of this paper to discuss them separately. Since the linguistic styles of wenyan and baihua by that time were getting closer, the emergence of more baihua stories signalled that a new scenario was about to emerge although lagging slightly behind. The wenyan fiction is more traditional or historical, while baihua stories are more contemporary with modern writing techniques. With Lin Qinnan’s translations of Western fiction into wenyan, the gap between wenyan and baihua fictional writings is somewhat narrowed. So it is logical to consider both forms together for discussion. The majority of stories are about love and marriage, including cross-racial marriages (although these are limited in number). Tragedies often occurred as new women clashed with traditional ethical thinking. War fiction which condemned the cruelty of fighting and disclosed human nature is touching as well. The editors shared their efforts in organizing the stories so that enhancement of meanings could be achieved. This is reflected in the affiliated information published here and there with an intention to explain, e.g., martial skills stories reflected the need for self-defence in all walks of life in the then chaotic China and overseas Chinese communities. The Union Press somehow carried on its innovative spirit in this period. Its innovation extended to some advertisements, which are significant in terms of art and theme. The classification of genre and sub-genre was meticulously rigid all along; after the disruption of the North Expedition, most classifications were abolished and some of the congtan or small talk columns were opened up to include foreign matters, as a result blurring certain distinctions.

A case of morning glory syndrome

Morning glory syndrome is a rare condition defined as congenital anomaly. It was first described by Reis in 1908, but it was named by Kindler due to its resemblance to the morning glory flower. We here report the case of a 7-year-old boy presenting with alternating convergent strabismus. The patient had no family history. Ophthalmologic examination showed visual acuity 9/10 in the right eye and 5/10 in the left eye, without correction. The anterior segment and tone were normal in both eyes. Fundus examination in the right eye was normal, while in the left eye it revealed large papillary excavation, partially occupied by glial tissue, which partially masked the retinal vessels spreading radially over its entire circumference. Some of them were uninhabited, evoking congenital malformation of the optic nerve head. Computed tomograpghy (CT) scan revealed left papillary coloboma, thus eliminating any morphological anomaly of the pathway of the optic nerve in its intra-orbital, intracanal and encephalic portions. Chiasma was normal. No cranio-encephalic malformation was found elsewhere.

Total retinal detachment in a morning glory disc anomaly.

A 6-year-old boy presented with poor vision and exotropia of his right eye (RE). His medical and ocular history was unremarkable. The visual acuity was limited to light perception in the RE. Slit-lamp examination of the anterior segment disclosed no abnormalities. Fundus examination of the RE revealed an enlarged funnel-shaped papillary excavation. The blood vessels appeared to increase in number, narrowed and radially arranged. Fundus examination also revealed a total retinal detachment (RD) with a proliferative vitreoretinopathy: retinal stiffness and folds with subretinal bands. There was no retinal tear. Examination of the left eye was unremarkable. We diagnosed a total RD associated with a morning glory disc (MGD) in the RE. Morning glory disc is a rare congenital condition. Authors reported RD in 37% of patients with MGD anomaly. The precise mechanism is still uncertain. Several etiologies have been suggested. The main ones were exudation from vessels, vitreous traction, retinal break on the optic disc, and migration of the cerebrospinal fluid from the subarachnoid space. There is no standard of care regarding RD with MGD anomaly.

Application of Morning Glory Flower (Ipomea purpurea) Extract for Colouring Plant Section Preparation

Background: Preparing requires colouring to clarify or sharpen various tissue parts, especially cells. The use of synthetic dyes in preparations in the long term can less impact both living things and the environment. The study aims to obtain natural dyes from morning glory flowers at optimal temperatures and pH and find out the feasibility of preparations coloured using Morning Glory flower extract. Method: The extraction process uses a maceration method with different temperature variations of 400C, 500C, 600C, 700C, 800C and different pH i.e. 3, 4, 5, 6. The preparation process uses different dye concentration variations. The concentrations used are 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%. Data analysis techniques use descriptive and percentage analysis methods. Results: Morning glory flower extract (Ipomoea purpurea (L.) Roth) can colour dermal tissue, empulur, cortex and transport beams on the stems of cayenne pepper plants (Capsicum frutescens L.). Conclusion: Natural dyes of morning glory flowers can be used as a learning medium with a 74% eligibility rate for preparing with morning glory flower dyes.

Morning Glory Syndrome associated with Autosomal Dominant Alport Syndrome with a Heterozygous COL4A4 Mutation

Morning glory syndrome (MGS) is a rare congenital optic disc anomaly with a characteristic fundal finding with severe visual impairment. It may occur in association with various systemic manifestations, even though most of the reported cases were isolated. A 6-year-old male visited the nephrology clinic with a history of microscopic hematuria and at the age of 12 years, he was diagnosed thin glomerular basement membrane nephropathy by kidney biopsy. After the following years, the patient had progressive deterioration of visual acuity, and diagnosed as MGS. Whole Exome Sequencing of this patient and his mother revealed heterozygous COL4A4 mutations [c.81_86del (p.Ile29_Leu30del)]. It is more reasonable to consider MGS seen in this patient as a coincidental finding of autosomal dominant Alport syndrome. To our knowledge, this case represents the first case report of autosomal dominant Alport syndrome associated with MGS.

Transcriptome sequencing and flavonoid metabolism analysis in the leaves of three different cultivars of Acer truncatum

Young and mature leaves of three Acer truncatum varieties with different leaf colors were examined. Transcriptome sequencing and flavonoid metabolism were used to analyze the differential gene expression associated with different leaf colors and growth stages and the relationships between gene expression and flavonoid and anthocyanin contents to improve ornamental value and develop flavonoid-rich A. truncatum. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database annotation of differentially expressed genes indicated that the following genes were related to flavonoid synthesis: phenylpropanoid biosynthesis genes (PAL, C4H, 4CL and CHS), flavonoid biosynthesis genes (E2.1.1.104, CHI, FLS, F3′5′H and ANR), anthocyanin biosynthesis genes (ANS, DFR, HCT, BZ1, GT1, and UGT79B1), isoflavonoid biosynthesis genes (HIDH and CYP81E17), and their transcriptional regulator (MYB). A total of 234 types of flavonoids were detected. The types and contents of anthocyanins in the red-leaf varieties ‘Hong Jingling’ and ‘Caidie Fanfei’ were significantly higher than those in the green leaf cultivar ‘Lv Baoshi’, especially morning glory 3-O-glucoside, delphinidin 3-O-glucoside, and pelargonium-3-O-glucoside, which were not detected in 'Lv Baoshi'. Combined omics analysis showed that downregulated expression of C4H, CHS and F3′5′H and upregulated expression of FLS reduced the supply of raw materials for anthocyanin synthesis, and downstream ANR upregulation converted anthocyanins to procyanidins, increasing the total flavonoid content. F3′5′H expression was downregulated in the leaves of each variety with development, resulting in the accumulation of catechins and the gradual greening of the leaves. F3′5′H was significantly depleted in the young leaves of ‘Hong Jingling’ and ‘Caidie Fanfei’ compared with the young leaves of ‘Lv Baoshi’, while ANS and BZ1 were enriched significantly. It is concluded that F3′5′H, BZ1, and ANS are the key genes needed for breeding red A. truncatum and that ANR is the key gene needed for breeding varieties with a high flavonoids contens. These results may facilitate genetic modification or selection for further improvement of the ornamental qualities and flavonoid content of A. truncatum.

Editorial 2022

Editorial 2022

Diversification of ergot alkaloids and heritable fungal symbionts in morning glories

Heritable microorganisms play critical roles in life cycles of many macro-organisms but their prevalence and functional roles are unknown for most plants. Bioactive ergot alkaloids produced by heritable Periglandula fungi occur in some morning glories (Convolvulaceae), similar to ergot alkaloids in grasses infected with related fungi. Ergot alkaloids have been of longstanding interest given their toxic effects, psychoactive properties, and medical applications. Here we show that ergot alkaloids are concentrated in four morning glory clades exhibiting differences in alkaloid profiles and are more prevalent in species with larger seeds than those with smaller seeds. Further, we found a phylogenetically-independent, positive correlation between seed mass and alkaloid concentrations in symbiotic species. Our findings suggest that heritable symbiosis has diversified among particular clades by vertical transmission through seeds combined with host speciation, and that ergot alkaloids are particularly beneficial to species with larger seeds. Our results are consistent with the defensive symbiosis hypothesis where bioactive ergot alkaloids from Periglandula symbionts protect seeds and seedlings from natural enemies, and provide a framework for exploring microbial chemistry in other plant-microbe interactions.

CRISPR/Cas, a powerful tool for genome editing in ornamental plants

Biotechnology is a proper implement for breeding traits such as flower size, color and aroma as well as improving disease resistance and improvement of flower vase life. With completion of genome sequencing of many ornamental plants and astonishing progress on site-specific edition, the process of diversification for ornamental plant breeding will accelerate. Nowadays, due to the ease in application, low cost, and availability, CRISPR/Cas has overtaken the other genome editing technologies such as ZFNs, TALENs and meganuclease. CRISPR/Cas is an acquisition immune system in archaea and some bacteria wherein bacteria in response to introduced genetic materials start to make small complementary transcript by which intercepts the existing invasive sequence and inactivates the target DNA with the help of Cas nuclease protein. Broken strands join together by DNA repair system but the mutated nucleotides lead to inactivity of the target gene. The most important achievement of this technology in ornamental plants so far is knocking down homeotic genes involved in plant developmental process and also color change in petunia, torenia, gentian, orchids, and Japanese morning glory. With further development and optimization of this method, we will soon see many changes in the breeding of biotic traits resistance.

A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF ABIOTIC FACTORS TO THE ABUNDANCE OF BEACH MORNING GLORY (IPOMOEA PES-CAPRAE) BETWEEN TWO BEACH LOCATIONS

The beach morning glory is utilized as traditional medicine by the public but studies about this plant are still lacking. This study aims to identify the effect of soil organic matter (SOM) and heavy metal concentration on the distribution and abundance of the beach morning glory between Lok Kawi Beach and Teluk Likas Beach in Sabah. Sampling was conducted in August 2020, prior to the implementation of Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO). The field work experimental design for the sampling was based on line transect and quadrat sampling method. The plant abundance was determined by using the quadrat (point-intercept method). The soil organic matter was analysed by using the Loss on Ignition (LOI) method and the heavy metals concentration was analysed by using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed that the mean abundance of beach morning glory was higher in Teluk Likas Beach than in Lok Kawi Beach (p = 0.001). For the mean Lead (Pb) concentration, it was higher in Lok Kawi Beach than in Teluk Likas Beach (p = 0.01). The mean of soil organic matter (p = 0.88), zinc (Zn) (p = 0.12) and copper (Cu) (p = 0.54) did not differ much between both locations. For the correlation, the abundance of beach morning glory was not affected by the heavy metals’ concentration (Pb, Zn and Cu). The relative abundance of beach morning glory was not affected by the SOM and heavy metals concentration. Further research is needed to determine its bioactive compounds and efficacy.

A case of anterior persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous associated with morning glory disc anomaly and retinopathy of prematurity like retinopathy in a term-born child

BackgroundAssociation of morning glory disc anomaly (MGDA) with persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV) has been reported earlier. Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) like retinopathy in preterm babies with optic disc anomalies has also been published. Our case is unique in terms of presence MGDA, PHPV, unilateral ROP like retinopathy in a term infant with normal birth weight.Case presentationA 5-month-old girl, born at term with a birth weight of 3750 g, presented with anterior PHPV, MGDA and ROP like retinopathy. In order to prevent retinal detachment, she received 360 degree barrage laser photocoagulation at the edge of the optic disc excavation of the left eye. In the follow-up a month later, laser scars were found in her left fundus without other complications.ConclusionPHPV and MGDA with ROP like retinopathy in term and normal weight baby is rare. The peripheral avascular retinal area, caused by the dragging of the defected optic disc, might have been more vulnerable to the oxygen change after birth which resulted in ROP like retinopathy. High sensitivity to oxygen results in a series of changes such as upregulation of VEGF and IGF-1 may cause ROP-like retinopathy.

Generating complex fold patterns through stress-free deformation induced by growth

The 2D and 3D axisymmetric models for stress-free deformations induced by growth have been established for curvilinear coordinates in arbitrary geometries in the current paper. In the derivation of the models, the deformation gradient is decomposed into the product of an elastic tensor and a growth tensor, and the growth tensor is further polar decomposed, based on which the basis vectors are appropriately chosen in each configuration/state. The constraints for the growth functions are derived together with the governing equations for the position vector and the rotational angle, which constitute coupled nonlinear partial differential equations. Under a special case, the analytical solutions to this system are obtained, based on which two mechanisms for generating complex fold patterns are identified. One is the introduction of geometric imperfection to the initial configuration, and the other is the creation of new growth tensors through the switching of curvilinear coordinates. Applying these two mechanisms, we manage to find a proper initial geometry and growth tensor to generate a special type of fold pattern having convex or/and concave cusps at the inner and outer surfaces of an initial annulus, having relevance with the morphology of a brain organoid and a bitter gourd. It seems this type of pattern has not been reported before by elastic instabilities. Many other complex fold patterns are also generated, like the morphologies of moss sakura, a red maple leaf, a rose, celosia, a gastrula, single clove garlic, a tumor spheroid, morning glory and two types of mushrooms. This model provides possible explanations for the morphogenesis of some biological tissues with zero or negligible residual stress. The results can also be incorporated with other models yielding residual stress to give a comprehensive description of the morphologies and stress distributions of the organisms. And the deformation principles obtained can be used in the design of soft devices through 4D printing of soft material.

Relationship between storage period and germination of Ipomoea hederacea var. integriuscula seeds under natural condition

AbstractMorning glory (Ipomoea spp.), a problematic weed in soybean fields, is difficult to control due to its long emergence period. The intermittent germination of morning glory prolongs the emergence period, and the factors remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the effects of different storage periods under natural conditions on germination conditions and emergence percentages of physically dormant entire‐leaf morning glory (Ipomoea hederacea var. integriuscula) seeds in the field. In 2017–2020, I. hederacea var. integriuscula was cultivated in outdoor planters. Each plant was tagged on the blooming flower peduncle to record the flowering date. The seeds of I. hederacea var. integriuscula germinated 23 days after flowering (DAF). The water content of the seeds decreased rapidly until 30 DAF, and no water absorption occurred thereafter. The germination percentage of seeds in bags outdoors was low from 45 to 210 DAF, and it increased after 270 DAF irrespective of the temperature (20–35°C). On the field surface, the shorter the period of storage in bags outdoors, the lower the cumulative emergence percentage of I. hederacea var. integriuscula. The cumulative emergence was 0% in the soil for seeds of more than 90 DAF. The survival percentage of seeds in the soil increased with the number of DAFs. Therefore, the longer the DAF of the seeds, the higher the emergence of the field and survival percentage in the soil. The long period of storage on mother plants may be one of the factors associated with the long emergence period.

Optic Nerve Abnormalities in Morning Glory Disc Anomaly: An MRI Study

The morning glory disc anomaly (MGDA) is a rare congenital malformation of the optic disc. The association with a significant enlargement of the optic nerve has been recently reported in a few cases, raising the question of potentially associated optic nerve gliomas. The objective was to report the anatomy of optic nerves on MRI in patients with MGDA. In this retrospective single-center study, files of patients with a clinical diagnosis of MGDA were identified through a rare disease database (CEMARA) and included. We reviewed every cerebral and orbital MRI available, performed between 2008 and 2018. Anatomy of the optic nerve from the optic disc to the chiasm was evaluated on MRI. Nine patients were included. All presented unilateral MGDA. Age at first MRI was 0.6-62 years, median = 3.8 years. MRI showed posterior protrusion of the globe (staphyloma) centered by the optic disc in all cases (100%). Ipsilateral optic nerve abnormalities were found in all cases (100%). The optic nerve was found thinner than the contralateral one in its intraorbital, intracanalar, and intracranial portions in 1 case (11%); in 8 cases (89%), the thickness of the optic nerve was irregular and varied along its pathway: thick, normal, and/or thin. When gadolinium injection had been performed (3 cases), none exhibited gadolinium enhancement. When serial MRI scanning was available (4 cases), there was no evolution of the abnormalities. In patients with MGDA, optic nerve and chiasm abnormalities are the rule, with most often a unique pattern of irregular optic nerve thickness-hypertrophy and hypoplasia-from the orbit to the chiasm. Such pattern should be recognized and points to a developmental abnormality, rather than an optic nerve glioma.

Comparison of Sample Pretreatment and Analytical Method for Nitrate Determination in Vegetables

Different sample pretreatment extraction techniques and analytical methods are often used for nitrate determination in vegetables; however, the effects of these variables have not been properly examined. Therefore, sample pretreatment (oven-dried and fresh extraction) and nitrate determination methods (colorimetric method (salicylic method (SM)) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were compared in Chinese kale (K) and morning glory (M) in this study. Oven-dried and fresh samples (K and M) were extracted by maceration and determined for nitrate content by the SM. As a result, the nitrate contents of both the oven-dried samples were significantly lower than the fresh samples (p < 0.01). A high correlation between the SM and HPLC was observed in 21 oven-dried samples of K and M. The nitrate contents using SM were significantly lower than the HPLC (p < 0.01). Both methods could be used for nitrate analysis in vegetables with an awareness of impurities in the SM. HIGHLIGHTS The drying process reduced the nitrate content Temperature effects nitrate content The SM demonstrated a lower nitrate content than the HPLC in all the dried vegetable samples Colorimetric by Salicylic acid and HPLC method could be used for nitrate analysis in vegetables GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Crude Extracts and Alkaloids Derived from Ipomoea-Periglandula Symbiotic Association Cause Mortality of Asian Citrus Psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae).

Simple SummaryFungi in the genus Periglandula (Clavicipitaceae) are endosymbionts of plants in the Convolvulaceae family (morning glories and relatives) where they may help protect plants from herbivory by production of bioactive compounds known as ergot alkaloids. We investigated mortality and behavior of nymphs and adults of Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) exposed to crude extracts from morning glories and to synthetic ergot alkaloids known to be produced in Convolvulaceae-Periglandula symbioses. We monitored effects of extracts or synthetic compounds on survival, host settling, and feeding. Several ergot alkaloids reduced survival of D. citri on treated surfaces. Crude extracts and synthetic ergot alkaloids reduced D. citri adult settling on treated host plants compared with water controls. We observed an antifeedant effect of the crude extracts at concentrations which otherwise caused minimal adult mortality. Our results indicate that ergot alkaloids produce both toxic and sub-lethal effects on D. citri that could be useful for management of this pest.Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) is an important economic pest of citrus crops because it vectors the causal pathogen of huanglongbing (HLB; aka citrus greening). Population suppression of D. citri with insecticides has been disproportionally relied on for HLB management and a greater diversity of more sustainable tools is needed. Periglandula spp. is a fungal endosymbiont (family Clavicipitaceae) that forms a mutualistic relationship with members of plants in family Convolvulaceae. This association results in the production of ergot alkaloids that were previously documented as having psyllicidal properties. We investigated the mortality and behavior of D. citri exposed to crude extracts from morning glories in the plant family Convolvulaceae, as well as synthetic ergot alkaloids. Nymphs and adults were exposed to the crude plant extracts from Periglandula positive species of Convolvulaceae, as well as five synthetic ergot alkaloids. Treatments were prepared by exposing clippings of citrus to 100 ng/µL of crude extract from Periglandula-positive species of Ipomoea (I. imperati, I. leptophylla, I. pandurata and I. tricolor), and Turbina corymbosa, and from one Periglandula-negative species (I. alba) (100 ng/µL). Mortality of adult and nymphal D. citri was significantly higher than the control after exposure to extracts from I. tricolor and I. imperati. The synthetic ergot alkaloids, lysergol (10–100 ng/µL), ergonovine maleate (100 ng/µL), agroclavine (10–100 ng/µL), and ergosine (10–100 ng/µL) increased mortality of D. citri nymphs, while ergosine (100 ng/µL) and agroclavine (100 ng/µL) increased mortality of adults compared to water controls. Fewer D. citri adults settled on plants treated with crude extracts or synthetic ergot alkaloids than on water controls at 48 h after release. D. citri that fed on citrus leaves treated with 10 ng/μL solution of crude extract from the Periglandula-positive species Ipomoea (I. imperati, I. leptophylla, I. pandurata, I. tricolor), and Turbina corymbosa excreted significantly less honeydew compared with a negative water control and extract from Periglandula-negative species (I. alba). Our results indicate that crude extracts and ergot alkaloids exhibit toxic and sub-lethal effects on D. citri that could be useful for management of this pest.

Complete genome sequence of a novel varicosavirus infecting tall morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea).

A novel varicosa-like virus was identified in a tall morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea) plant by high-throughput sequencing and tentatively named "morning glory varicosavirus" (MGVV). The complete genome of MGVV contains two segments of negative-sense single-stranded RNA of 6409 (RNA1) and 5288 (RNA2) nucleotides. RNA1 encodes a 224.3-kDa large protein (224K), and RNA2 encodes four putative proteins of 48.6 kDa (49K), 46.4 kDa (46K), 35.7 kDa (36K), and 36.8 kDa (37K), respectively. The 224K and 49K proteins show amino acid sequence similarity to the large protein (39.4%) and the 49K protein (22.6%), respectively, of red clover-associated varicosavirus, and the 36K protein shares 19.6% amino acid sequence similarity with protein 3 of lettuce big-vein associated virus. The 46K and 37K proteins share no significant sequence similarity to known functional viral sequences. Phylogenetic analysis based on the large protein of MGVV and other rhabdoviruses showed that MGVV clustered with the varicosaviruses. These analyses indicate that MGVV is a novel member of the genus Varicosavirus in the family Rhabdoviridae.